Biting the bullet and planning a party.

My sister has been gently persuading (pressuring) me to organise a 40th birthday party for my birthday in February. I haven't had a birthday party before and wasn't sure about it. Anyway, it seems like she has swept me up with her enthusiasm and I am planning a party.

Now, what seems to be fun about planning a party for yourself is that it is all about you. Unlike a wedding, where you try to bring two tastes together. It can be exactly what I want it to be.

I am currently thinking a late Sunday afternoon Garden party at a restaurant/cafe on the beach. I can imagine ladies dressed in pretty summer dresses sipping champagne, men in pants and open collared shirts pretending to play cricket, Don Draper sipping whiskey on the sidelines, children dressed in pretty Sunday outfits with ribbons falling out of heir hair, giggling and building sandcastles on the beach. Mojitos and Pina Coladas at sunset, rosy cheeks, pink lips, wind blown hair and the smell of coconut and flowers in the air.

Now I am really looking forward to my birthday. Have you thrown yourself a party? Did you have a fortieth? What was it like?

Mon Komo

I really, really loved the Fish Bowl in the old Seabrae Hotel.  Now, in it's place stands a proud, shiny new hotel.  I was prepared to stand against change and stomp my gorgeous, heeled feet and not ever go there.  Lucky, I grew up and am now an open-minded, accepting of change and grown up woman.

The new Mon Komo Hotel is gorgeous, sophisticated and classy. You feel like you are on holiday when you walk in. The design is Caribbean influenced and is light and airy. The first things I noticed were the water features and then the amazing lighting. I want the lighting in my house. We went there for breakfast and I am glad we were the first to arrive. The restaurant filled up quickly. The coffee was good and the breakfast was nice. I could have happily sat, drank coffee and read the paper for the entire morning in this relaxing environment.

I think I could also happily drink cocktails all evening in this environment. I think it's time to organise a girls night out to sample a selection.  Who's up for it?

This would be awesome in my entrance.

 This usually comes with salmon on top which was removed and missed out on it's 5 minutes of fame.

My Cost-per-wear rule

In early 1990, I purchased my first Country Road suit (navy) and gold Ray-Ban Signet sunglasses on the same day. I knew these would look very LA Law with my Oroton faux pearl necklace as I headed to the office and I would be able to wear them for the rest of my life. A classic suit never goes out of style and who wouldn't want to wear heavy, gold sunglasses every day. This was the first time I used the cost-per-wear rule (CPW). It turned out that besides the fact that I looked terrible in navy, the suit did in fact go out of style and the glasses were worn daily until I couldn't bear the headaches and deep grooves the ridiculously heavy glasses left on each side of my nose. I have made a hundred more mistakes and miscalculated the CPW many times but I am much, much wiser now. There are a few item that receive an automatic CPW pass, they are:

• Amazing jeans that magically make my butt look awesome;
• Unusual but beautiful belts, scarf or other accessories (to distract the eyes if the jeans are in the wash);
• Good running shoes;
• Technology equipment.

I also have the ability to convince myself that any shoe I really love falls within the boundaries too. I have no problem dragging those delicious, ridiculous, heeled, towers of sexiness out everyday of the week if necessary.


If there is a person on the planet unaware of the Cost-per-wear rule, here is my breakdown of it;
A pair of heels cost $290 and you wear them once. CPW = $290
Wear them once a week (even for half an hour) for one year. CPW = $5.576 (or $2.788 each) 
Continue wearing them for another two years. CPW = $1.858 (or $0.929 each, which is as good as free)

I am currently doing an end of year review of my shoe wardrobe and have found a number of pairs that are struggling to achieve CPW. I am heading out for cocktails at Mon Komo in Redcliffe tonight I have decided that these babies are getting an outing.